Soul D'ern - Ernest Ranglin

Advantages: Great fun music. Sunshine on a rainy day...
Disadvantages: Watch out if you have a dodgy back!

...This is another Hi-Fi demo favourite of mine. The music is perhaps best defined as Roots Reggae with Ska and Rocksteady influences. Although Ranglin is such a stalwart of all those and more musical styles that he is responsible for his own influences, if you get my drift! I could even use the word 'Jazz' without too much fear of reprisals from the cogniscenti! Anyway, I'm no expert on any of those styles so don't read too much into my categorizations. I hate to pigeonhole music. So lets just call it upbeat, foottapping music from the soul, for the soul (but not soul music, per se). There I go again. Ranglin was born in Jamaica in 1932. I was lucky enough to see him live last year and all I can say is he does not look his age and is still an awe inspiring guitar player. Ranglin's best known recording is probably the worldwide... Read review

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Advantages: Fantastic lyrically and musically
Disadvantages: May seem abit sameish to some

...''Mind, Body & Soul'' is the second album for the sixteen year old, accomplaished soul singer, Joss Stone. Her first album ''The Soul Sessions'' become a best seller without much promotion. ''The Soul Sessions'' ironically was orignally intended to be a promotional recording which would be used to promote a second and more original album ''Mind, Body & Soul''. But somehow after word spread over the talent and complexity and the fulfillment of soul that came about from Joss Stone's voice, it was released as an album worldwide. ''Right To Be Wrong'' is a nice soul ballad, with a poppy chorus. This is a wonderful song, wonderfullally sang. Joss Stone's voice really shows on this song. ''Jet Lag'' is an amazing track - it is very soulful and jazzy. The chrous is amazing. The backing drums fit perfectly with Joss's voice. ''You Had... Read review

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Advantages: Stone has a great voice
Disadvantages: But it's a predictable pop-r 'n' b sound

...Although I quite enjoyed Joss Stone's debut album "The Soul Sessions", it didn't really live up to the hype. It proved that Stone can sing, but so what? Lots of people can sing. Hear'Say could sing, but that didn't really help them much in the long run, as you need to be able to back up a decent singing performance with a decent song. Stone managed that part of things admirably, at least, by putting out an album of mostly soul covers, albeit soul songs with a pop edge. Whilst this proved to be a nice change from the standard bubblegum pop sound around at the moment, it caused a number of people to put her on a pedestal, comparing her to the likes of Aretha Franklin. This seemed to me to be a bit of an over-reaction, as Stone's got a good voice, without a doubt, but not that good. The one down side to her "The Soul Sessions" album... Read review

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